Palestinian Minister injured in West Bank clashes

Ramallah, March 13 Palestinian Labour Minister Nasri Abu Jaish and other five protesters were injured in clashes with Israeli soldiers in the West Bank, medical sources said.

The sources said Abu Jaish sustained injuries on his back by a rubber-coated metal bullet fired by Israeli soldiers during the clashes on Friday in the village of Beit Dajan, east of the West Bank city of Nablus, reports Xinhua news agency.

The Minister and the five protesters, who were injured by rubber bullets, were taken to a hospital in Nablus, and paramedics treated several other demonstrators who inhaled teargas, according to the sources.

Witnesses said the clashes broke out in the village during a rally that the Palestin organise every Friday in protest against Israeli settlement and confiscation of land.

Currently, Beit Dajan has become a routine scene for weekly rallies against the Israeli settlement activities.

Meanwhile, several weekly rallies were also organised near the West Bank cities of Qalqilya, Ramallah and Hebron in protest against Israeli measures in the territories, mainly settlement expansion and confiscation of land.

( With inputs from IANS )